Moffat girls 3,200-relay team bests field at Palisade Invite

GRAND JUNCTION -- Never mind that she pulled away from the rest of the pack to win her heat in the 800-meter run, Moffat County senior Angela Nelson wanted to know the time of the previous heat's winner.

"I knew she ran fast," Nelson said of Brighton's Ashley Kelly. "All that I wanted to know was how fast."

Kelly won the second heat with a time of 2 minutes, 26 seconds. Nelson's time -- 2:30.

"I felt like if she was in my heat I probably could have gone with her," Nelson said. "I wish we could have pushed each other."

In the 1,600 relay, Nelson and Kelly had a chance to face each other in the final leg. Kelly received the baton before Nelson, and they kept about the same distance throughout, with the Brighton runner finishing first.

Overall, the Bulldogs had opponents to push them in the Palisade Invitation. Complete results were-n't handed out to coaches, but Moffat coach Vicki Haddan said she thought her team finished third or fourth out of 19 teams. Fruita-Monument won the meet, and Steamboat Springs finished second. Moffat was either just in front or just behind Palisade in team points.

Nelson and her 3,200-relay teammates left no question about who had the best team in that event. Nelson, freshman Angie Charchalis and seniors Emily Sperl and Amelia Parker beat the field by 20 seconds.

Senior Brittani Weber was the lone individual winner with a first place in the shot put.

The Bulldogs had seven other top-eight finishes Saturday.

The 800-relay team of Kiera Moore, Anna Herring, Jorgiea Raftopoulos and Cassie Rogers was fifth.

Nelson joined Herring, Mari Katherine Raftopoulos and Charchalis in the second-place 1,600 relay.

Mari Katherine also was eighth in the 800.

Charchalis took third in the 400, and Herring was seventh in the 200.

In the distance races, Parker finished third in the 3,200 and Sperl had the same finish in the 1,600.

Freshman Markie Workman was the only field-event athlete other than Weber to place. She was in the top five in the triple jump.

"I don't think the times will change too much the next couple of weeks," Haddan said. "But we'll see little bits of im--pr--ovement from everybody. We're working on sprint relays and who should be where right now."

The Bulldog team will be in action Friday night at the same track in Grand Junction for the Fruita Invitational.